The present invention generally relates to portable electronic devices. In particular the present invention relates an improved housing configuration for a portable electronic device.
Hand-held portable electronic devices are used in a variety of applications, such as, for inventory control or customer service transactions, or various other commercial applications to serve as data input or output devices for central data processing and control stations. For example, the portable device may provide a route or sales person with data to the product information, cost information, customer information as well as inventory information relating to the availability of products. Thus, the compact size and ease of operation of the hand-held portable electronic device is important to its function.
Solid state memory in the form of flash memory is generally the storage of choice in a variety of mobile and hand-held devices. Unlike RAM, which is also solid-state memory, flash memory is non-volatile, which retains its stored data even after power is turned off. Typically, flash memory cards are freely inserted into an open slot formed in the surface of a handheld device. The only protection from contamination of the slot and the memory card is a moveable flap. This flap is not able to provide a tight seal to mitigate dust, moisture, and other contaminates from entering the memory card slot. Such contamination can cause permanent damage to the memory card and/or to the hand-held portable electronic device.
Also included in many portable electronic devices is a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card, which stores all the subscriber-related information data for the portable electronic device. Generally, SIM cards are available in two types, namely a postage stamp type and a credit card type. Conventional SIM cards, regardless of their type, typically occupy a relatively large area, which is contradictory to the current trend toward manufacturing more compact, lightweight terminals. In the postage stamp type SIM card, a SIM card reader is installed on a main PCB (Printed Circuit Board) of a body and the SIM card is electrically connected to the SIM card reader by means of a SIM card contact device. Consequently, the SIM card reader and contact device occupy a relatively large area on the body of the portable electronic device, limiting the compactness of the device body, thereby decreasing product competitiveness.
Another feature available for hand-held portable electronic devices is a touch screen and pen combination, which allows a user to input information to the device without the need for keyboard and/or mouse interfaces. Clip configurations are typically provided on the hand-held devices to hold the pen in place. The user is thus required to pull on the pen in order to remove it from the clip configuration.
Accordingly, there is a strong need in the art to provide an improved housing configuration for a hand-held portable electronic device to overcome the aforementioned problems.
The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the invention nor delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a flash card slot is provided in a portable electronic device. The flash card slot is located within a compartment of the portable electronic device to protect the flash card from outside contaminants. The flash card slot also includes an ejection mechanism coupled to the slot to provide for easy removal of the flash card.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a SIM module is provided in a portable electronic device. The SIM module includes, a SIM contact device and a SIM card coupled to the SIM contact device. A SIM card cover is employed to protect the SIM card and to maintain a close connection between the SIM contact device and the SIM card. A sealing gasket is coupled to the SIM card cover to provide a better seal.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a system for attaching a pen to a housing of a portable electronic device is provided. The system includes a pen and a slot having an open top portion and an open bottom portion, the slot adapted to secure the pen into a position. The pen is then easily removed from the slot by pushing the pen up and out of the slot from the open bottom portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for attaching a pen to a housing of a portable electronic device. The system comprises a pen, means for securing the pen; and means for enabling the pen to be pushed out of the means for securing the pen.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a housing for a portable electronic device includes a compact flash card slot, a SIM module, and a pen slot. The compact flash card slot and the SIM module are located within a battery compartment of the portable electronic device. The SIM module includes a SIM card cover freely detachable from the SIM module and securable to the SIM module with a screw. The pen slot is adapted to enable a pen to be pushed out of the slot from a bottom opening in the slot.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a system for converting a hand strap mount of a portable electronic device into a hip-clip is provided. The system includes a hand strap mount for securing a hand strap to the housing of the portable electronic device and a mushroom part. The mushroom part is coupled to the hand strap mount and is adapted to fit into a receiver, which attaches to a user""s belt.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for converting a hand strap mount of a portable electronic device into a hipclip. The system comprises means for mounting a hand strap; and means for converting the means for mounting a hand strap into means for securing the portable electronic device to a belt.